It Takes But an Instant for Everything to Change
by Hypnotoad76
Summary: It's a typical day of grocery shopping, when a startling revelation is realized


"Okay, so if we divide up the list between us we can get everything done faster. But if you're with me you can help with items that are on the top shelf. So if we decide to split up you should get anything we know is on a high shelf."

"Great," Jeff dully replied as he followed Annie into the grocery store. "When I said we should do something today, this wasn't what I had in mind."

"Jeff, I have to go grocery shopping before the weekend ends. At this point there's pretty much just Captain Crunch and buttered noodles at my place. And unlike Troy and Abed, I can't live off of just that."

"You really do live with children."

"Yeah, but I love them." She smiled as they made their way down the produce section. "Though not nearly as much as I love you."

"Glad to get some clarification," he said as he kissed her.

They made out for several moments before Annie reluctantly pulled away. "Okay, come on, we need to get this done."

"Fine," Jeff exclaimed disappointedly, since kissing Annie was easily one of his five favorite things to do.

"Think of it this way, if we get all the groceries and put them away today, then we don't have to leave your place at all tomorrow."

"Let's up the ante and not even leave the bedroom."

"Even better," she said with a sultry purr before returning to her normal vocal tone. "I'll get bananas and tomatoes and you can get carrots, lettuce and zucchini."

"You're a tease," Jeff said playfully as she left him. He allowed himself a few moments to watch her walk away, particularly admiring how nice her butt and legs looks in that skirt, before setting off to get his items.

It was now nearing the fourth month mark since he and Annie had begun dating, which easily took the record for the longest relationship he'd ever been in (though to be honest, there had only been three actual relationships before this one.) True, there had been some ups and downs along the way, along with arguments he used to hear other couples have and would think, _that will never be me_. But generally he liked being with her. He liked hanging out with her, and having sex with her, and going out on actual dates with her. He was even a fan of simply sleeping next to her, sappiness be damned.

He found the requested vegetables and brought them over to Annie, dumping them in the cart as she gently squeezed avocados. "I can't find any right ones. All of them are soft and ripe."

"Isn't that how avocados are supposed to be?" Jeff asked

"Yeah, and they'd be perfect if I was using them tonight. But I'm not using them until later in the week, so if I buy them now they'll be rotten by then." She shrugged as she instead put a few nearby tomatoes in a plastic bag. "I'll just have to pick up a couple on taco night."

"If you're worried about them rotting why don't you get them now and just make tacos tonight?"

"Because Troy isn't going to be around tonight and he'll get really upset if he misses taco night. That's why I'm making zucchini casserole for dinner, since Troy hates zucchini."

"Do your roommates ever do any of the cooking?" Jeff asked.

"They cook at times. Abed's really good, and Troy's good when he doesn't try and 'improve' the recipe."

"I think you mean completely ignore the recipe. Like that pasta creation he made for everyone last week that was green."

"He just added some food coloring to it. And it still tasted good," Annie said in Troy's defense.

"So next time I should just close my eyes and not look at what I'm eating."

Annie groaned at Jeff as she pushed the cart out of the produce section. "You know you don't have to come over and eat with us if it's going to disgust you."

"I have no problem when you're cooking. I'm just saying, it's not appetizing to eat something that looks like an alien baby. Right?"

"After scraping by on SqaghettiO's and stale cereal for two years, and then eating some of the stuff Troy and Abed have come up with, I've developed a strong tolerance when it comes to food."

"Well I promise I won't let you eat terrible food ever again. What's next on your list?"

"Pasta and tomato sauce, which is on aisle six."

As they made their way Jeff fell a few steps behind Annie as he fully realized what he had just said. _Ever again_, he thought. _Where did that come from?_

Once they got to the aisle Annie perused the shelves, looking for her preferred brand of pasta. "Do you see Italiano's delight? It's usually right here in the middle?"

"Yeah, it's right there," Jeff said as he pointed to the top shelf. He picked up a box, and then held it high in the air when Annie went to take it. "Come on, get it."

"Jeff, come on, give it to me!"

"You've got to get it."

She jumped for the box when she suddenly looked at Jeff intently. "Is that a grey hair?"

"WHAT!" He quickly brought his hands to his head when Annie quickly grabbed the box from him.

"Got yeah!"

He glared at her smiling face when his own morphed into a grin. "Okay, that was devious, and I'm actually kind of proud. But you were kidding about seeing a grey hair, right?"

"Wouldn't you like to know." She playfully stuck her tongue out at him as she went back to her shopping. Jeff laughed as he self-consciously ran a hand through his hair, trying to decipher through touch if he indeed have any grey hairs. But after a moment he brought his arms down as he watched Annie shop, a warm feeling of happiness flowing throughout his body. It took him a minute to decipher what exactly he was feeling. It was love. He'd felt it before, or at least he thought he had. But this feeling was deeper than anything he'd ever felt before. It was happiness and affection on an almost pure uncut level. It was love in its truest form.

He stood there in shock as this realization came over him. He loved Annie. He was completely and utterly in love with her. He loved everything about her, even the parts that drove him mad. And now that he finally realized it, he never wanted to let her go.

Images ran through his head as the full impact of what he was feeling took hold of him. He saw them living together, and feeling happy every morning he woke up to find her by his side. He saw them standing at an altar, proclaiming their love to all their friends and family. He saw them raising children together, and seeing their offspring grow up into adults. He saw the two of them growing old together, and being completely content with the happy life they had led together.

Jeff waited for the cynical part of him to take hold and scoff at this sappy vision of his life. But for once that part of him wasn't responsive. Instead he simply felt utter happiness at realizing he wanted to spend the rest of his life with Annie, along with slight bemusement at having come to this realization while helping her shop for groceries.

"Jeff!" He snapped back to reality as Annie came over and put a jar of tomato sauce, parmesan cheese, garlic powder and the box of pasta in her cart. "Come on. I still have to get eggs, coffee, ground turkey, and stuff for tacos."

"Okay," he said with a smile. She started pushing the cart when he took her hand and pulled her towards him. "I love you."

Annie smiled as she looked into Jeff's face. She had heard him say those words to her before, but she could tell there was something different in how he was saying it this time. There was a joy in his voice she couldn't recall ever hearing before that was both thrilling and comforting to hear.

"I love you," she said as she kissed him. She gently nibbled his bottom lip before pulling back with a grin. "Come on; let's get this done so we're not in the grocery store all day."

Jeff simply smiled as he followed Annie through the store. There really wasn't a need to immediately tell her of his newfound realization. There wasn't any reason to rush things. They had the rest of their lives to be together.


End file.
